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Kubo Cafe — Coffee shops in Edinburgh

Kubo Cafe

Coffee shopsEdinburgh

4.9 out of 5 stars4.9(111 reviews)

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Quick info

+44 131 574 7502
39 St Stephen St, Edinburgh EH3 5AH, United Kingdom

About Kubo Cafe

On St Stephen St in Edinburgh, Kubo Cafe is a coffee shop serving a menu that pairs Filipino dishes with dumplings and dimsum. Chicken adobo, biko, and cassava cake sit alongside a green papaya salad and avocado toast, with a flat white or mango smoothie to drink. A Filipino couple runs the cafe, and it operates on a walk-in basis with no reservations. The space allows dogs, and it stays quiet enough for regulars and neighbourhood locals to treat it as a stop-in spot. The menu spans savory and sweet options across several cuisines rather than sticking to one style, giving the counter a broad list to work from at any time of day.

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Reviews

4.9/5
111 reviews

What reviewers say

Reviewers most often mention dim sum dumplings, green papaya salad, chicken adobo and biko and cassava cake.

5★
106
4★
3
3★
1
2★
0
1★
1

Featured reviews

  • Google user
    “Kubo Cafe was a fantastic find! Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The dumplings were delicious with tasty dipping sauces, and the papaya salad was crisp, refreshing, and packed with flavor. Every dish tasted homemade and carefully prepared. The service was equally impressive. The staff were warm, attentive, and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. Great food, great service, and a lovely atmosphere. We’d definitely come back and highly recommend Kubo Cafe to anyone looking for an excellent meal.”
  • Google user
    “Sweet and welcoming spot on a lovely street. The green papaya salad was knock-your-socks-off fresh, bright and tasty, with a marvelous chili hit. Also loved the dimsum. Very good prices”
  • Google user
    “Busy Sunday in Stockbridge and I wanted somewhere to relax with a coffee before heading back to London from Edinburgh. Kubo was a great find. Really nice, relaxed vibe and not as crowded as most of the cafes on the main street. The couple running it were very welcoming, and it was lovely seeing so many locals and regulars stopping by for a chat. You could tell it’s a real community spot. I only had a flat white as I’d already eaten, but it was excellent. Would definitely come back next time I’m in Edinburgh.”
  • Google user
    “The cafe is cute and cozy but we were very disappointed with the avocado toast. The eggs were not poached as advertised in the menu and the meal was super bland. The hot chocolate was also served almost cold. The staff was very friendly and kind but I wouldn’t recommend this place for a good Sunday brunch.”
  • Google user
    “Extremely reasonably priced food in an otherwise expensive neighborhood. Plus, where else can you find dim sum, avocado toast, lentil soup, and blood pudding in the same cafe? My toddler loved everything - so many of his favorite foods all in one place! Very simple food, but comforting.”

Hours

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Customer Review Summary

Dim sum is what reviewers mention most at Kubo Cafe, with several praising the dumplings and dipping sauces alongside a green papaya salad described as fresh, crisp and carrying a marvelous chili hit. Close behind are the chicken adobo, the Filipino sweets Biko and cassava cake, a mango smoothie and a flat white, which one visitor called excellent. Reviewers repeatedly describe the Filipino couple who run it as friendly and welcoming, and mention regulars stopping by for a chat in a calm, cozy room that is dog friendly. Several call the prices very reasonable for the neighbourhood, and one parent says a toddler loved the mix of dim sum, avocado toast, lentil soup and blood pudding. The main criticism comes from one brunch visitor, who found the avocado toast bland with eggs that were not poached as the menu advertised, and the hot chocolate nearly cold. One diner who had the adobo wished the menu offered something like tocino, and that same reviewer still called the service impeccable.

Location

Coffee shops near Kubo Cafe

Kubo Cafe
4.9111
  • 0.2 miVegan options

    poached eggs, shakshuka, fresh squeezed orange juice

  • 0.3 mi

    scrambled eggs on toast, brie and blackberry toast, avocado toast

  • 0.4 miOutdoor seating

    breakfast brioche, date cocoa nib smoothie, jalapeño cheese scone

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